Panthers Enter Postseason With Key Players Returning, Eyes on Repeat
- DIG 4552
- Apr 22
- 3 min read
By Edward Delgado
A year removed from hoisting their first Stanley Cup in franchise history, the Florida Panthers are back in the postseason with their sights set on a repeat, but their road back has been anything but smooth.
Florida finished the regular season 47-31-4, good for third place in the Atlantic Division and fifth overall in the Eastern Conference. Though they secured their playoff berth with relative ease, the Panthers navigated a year riddled with adversity, beginning with the long-term injury of star forward Matthew Tkachuk.
Tkachuk, who was injured during the 4 Nations Face-Off in February, was placed on long-term injured reserve with a groin injury. He missed the final 25 games of the regular season but is expected to return for Game 1 of the Panthers' first-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
To compensate for his absence and strengthen the roster ahead of the playoffs, general manager Bill Zito made a flurry of aggressive moves at the trade deadline. Florida acquired veteran winger Brad Marchand from the Boston Bruins and defenseman Seth Jones from the Chicago Blackhawks in two of the most notable deals. Marchand arrived in exchange for a conditional second-round pick, while Jones cost the Panthers young goaltender Spencer Knight and a conditional first-rounder.
Florida also added forward Nico Sturm and goaltender Vitek Vanecek from the San Jose Sharks and brought in Kaapo Kähkönen in a separate deal with Winnipeg, rounding out their depth in goal after trading Knight and sending backup Chris Driedger the other way.
The Panthers also had to navigate the 20-game suspension of defenseman Aaron Ekblad, who was banned by the NHL in March for violating the league’s performance-enhancing substance policy. Ekblad, who admitted to taking a recovery supplement without team approval, is eligible to return in Game 3 of the opening round. When he does, he’s expected to reunite with Gustav Forsling, his longtime partner on Florida’s top defensive pairing.
Amid the lineup shuffling, rookie Matthew “Mackie” Samoskevich emerged as a key contributor down the stretch. The 21-year-old winger posted 15 goals and 31 points in his first full NHL campaign, filling in top-six minutes and providing an offensive spark during Florida’s injury-hit final months.
Now, with Tkachuk back and Ekblad on the verge of returning, the Panthers are getting healthy at the right time, and when fully intact, they remain one of the most dangerous teams in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Last year’s core remains intact, and the roster is deeper and more battle-tested than it was a season ago.
They’ll be tested early in a first-round matchup with Tampa Bay, setting up another chapter in the “Battle of Florida.” It’s the fourth postseason meeting between the two franchises in 5 years, with emotions expected to run high from the opening puck drop.
If Florida can stay healthy and continue integrating its new pieces, the Cats may once again be poised for a deep playoff run, with their sights set squarely on another Stanley Cup.
Sources:
Panthers land Brad Marchand in trade with Bruins. ESPN.com. Published March 6, 2025. https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/44154081/champion-panthers-land-brad-marchand-bruins
Panthers acquire veteran Seth Jones from Blackhawks. ESPN.com. Published March 1, 2025. https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/44072940/panthers-acquire-veteran-seth-jones-blackhawks
Panthers acquire forward Nico Sturm from Sharks. NHL.com. Published March 6, 2025. https://www.nhl.com/panthers/news/florida-panthers-acquire-forward-nico-sturm
Panthers add goalie Vitek Vanecek in trade with Sharks. ESPN.com. Published March 5, 2025. https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/44122525/panthers-add-goalie-vitek-vanecek-trade-sharks
Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad suspended 20 games. NHL.com. Published March 10, 2025. https://www.nhl.com/news/florida-panthers-aaron-ekblad-suspended-20-games
Tkachuk to miss rest of regular season with groin injury. ESPN.com. Published March 3, 2025. https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/44094631/panthers-matthew-tkachuk-regular-season-groin-injury
Final 2025 NHL playoff bracket, seedings and updated standings. Bleacher Report. Published April 17, 2025. https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25186544-final-2025-nhl-playoff-bracket-seedings-and-updated-standings
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